The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) has been urged to investigate attempts to arraign Chief Nwigwe Emeka Williams, community leader, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of terrorism and kidnapping.
Kolawole Olowookere, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in a petition to the AGF, said the controversy over the alleged kidnap and killing of the traditional ruler of Amanze community in Imo State, Eze Basil Okafor in 2022, was investigated by the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Force Headquarters, Abuja, and those indicted arrested, prosecuted with some of them jailed.
Barrister Olowookere, in the petition disclosed that the alleged conspiracy and kidnapping was investigated twice by the Special Task Force and that twice the community leader was not found culpable in any way.
He expressed surprise that two years after those indicted in the alleged crime had been put on trial, “some lawyers in the Federal Ministry of Justice, allegedly acting the script of external forces, suddenly woke up to rope the community leader into the charges.”
He said that since the police concluded their investigation, there had been no new facts or fresh evidence to warrant the inclusion of Nwigwe Emeka Williams as a defendant in the alleged crime.
“The police investigation report of 30th September, 2024 with reference No; CB;4099/FID/STC/FHQ/ABJ/T.4/Vol.4/94, which listed the suspects arrested, indicted and put on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/575/2023, was attached to the petition.
“In the police report, the community leader was found to have contributed N1 million out of the N4 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers and that the contribution was made through the account of one Charles Njoku, the younger brother of the late traditional ruler,” he said.
He further explained that instead of using the community leader as a witness in the trial, those involved opted to include his name as a defendant to settle scores.
Accusing those involved of abuse of prosecutorial powers, the he pleaded with the AGF to probe the circumstances that led to the inclusion of the name of the community leader as a co-defendant.
This is as he urged speedy action on the probe before the community leader is arraigned on May 22.
